Under the Elms

A 71-year tradition resumes the first week of June on Ohio University’s historic College Green with the first performance in the annual Under the Elms Summer Concert Series.

One of OHIO’s signature summer events, this free five-week outdoor concert series showcases the talents of the Communiversity Band, composed of current Ohio University students and alumni, current and retired faculty members, as well as community members from Athens and the surrounding area. Leading this group of musicians is Ohio University Director of Bands Andrew Trachsel, who serves as music director and conductor for the Communiversity Band.

The 2018 season of the Under the Elms Summer Concert Series kicks off June 6 and will include five performances held at 7 p.m. every Wednesday, June 6 through July 4, on the College Green adjacent to OHIO’s Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium. In the event of inclement weather, the concerts will be moved inside the auditorium.

Concert details:

Wednesday, June 6, 7:00 PM – Mitchell Spray (The United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own”), guest conductor. Mitchell is an alumnus of Ohio University, and recently retired at the rank of Command Sergeant Major of The United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own”, where he served as a trombonist and Drum Major. In observation of the anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, Mitch will be leading the band and audience through a military funeral music sequence. There will also be music pertaining specifically to D-Day and the Greatest Generation.

Wednesday, June 13, 7:00 PM – “Sousa on the Green”
This concert will pay homage to the “March King”, John Philip Sousa, by presenting his marches as well as other numbers typical to a Sousa band concert at the turn of the twentieth century, including music by Grainger, Wagner, and Joplin.

Wednesday, June 20, 7:00 PM – Shelby Chipman (Florida A&M University), guest conductor
Dr. Chipman is Director of Bands at Florida A&M University. He’ll be joining us for a concert
that will also feature the OHIO Summer Band Camp participants, who will be on campus all week.

Wednesday, June 27, 7:00 PM– “Music of the Night”: Music from stage and screen with John Schlabach and Josh Nightingale, trumpet. Professor of Trumpet John Schlabach and one of his former graduate students, Joshua Nightingale, will both play features for solo trumpet that tie in with the theme of music from the movies and musicals. This is a special collaboration with The Athena Cinema Uptown: after the concert, The Athena will show a FREE screening of the 1925 Lon Chaney silent film classic “The Phantom of the Opera”

Wednesday, July 4, 7:00 PM – Celebrate America! The annual Independence Day observation concert features favorites old and new of patriotic music, and always promises to be a special performance!